Phonoland

I have a Columbia suitcase Grafonola Viva-Tonal Model 162, has anyone seen one of these.

It has a brass color arm, reproducer, and fittings with a blue fabrikoid case with wooden inside record holder.

How much are these worth. Mine runs very quiet and the reproducer has been rebuilt.

Jerry

I'm not really up on the different Columbia model numbers, but they often turn up on ebay, so you might get an approximate indication of the value there. Having said that, I should also add that I've never seen any Columbia portables in a coloured case before, so you've perhaps got a fairly rare variant! Any chance you could post a photo of the machine?

Yes that is a fairly common model and nothing to worry about.

Current prices are obviously determined by who's looking for that specific model. Columbia portables are unfortunately rather hard things to sell as most collectors who wish to own "one portable type" will usually ask for an HMV machine. Elsewhere, anyone else looking for Columbia products will likely already have this model or won't specifically be looking for a portable machine anyway. Your machine falls into the trap of being a typical machine that the "I'll-buy-it-if-it's-really-cheap" brigade will seek out.

BUT let's put a range here for convenience, say

Is the one you have similar to this Col. Viva-Tonal 163?



SEE: http://www.misterphonograph.com/sold4.htm for other pics.


When the sound box is properly restored and the needle-bar pivot adjusted for maximum compliance, these are pretty powerful sounding portables, with a very strong impression of bass, and solid mid-range and treble. I was amazed at how good the one I had performed. In some ways, I preferred it to my HMV 102. Unfortunately, these are also very heavy and bulky machines, compared to their HMV counterparts.

Yup, that is how mine looks, almost exactly. Yes it has been rebuilt reproducer, and sounds very loud, I think louder than most tabletops. I looked it up I paid $200.00 for it.

CalumetPhono1 wrote:Yup, that is how mine looks, almost exactly. Yes it has been rebuilt reproducer, and sounds very loud, I think louder than most tabletops. I looked it up I paid $200.00 for it.

The 163 above from MisterPhonograph sold for $300 a couple of years ago, and I paid about $100 for the one I had--back in 1982--so I think you did okay.

I've seen these more deluxe models come up for sale from time to time on eBay, so if you're interested in tracking current prices, that would probably your best bet. Key words to look for would be Viva-Tonal Columbia Phonograph or Viva-Tonal Columbia "record player," etc. Make sure you click the small box by "search title and description."

When I bought the machine, the reproducer needle bar was pushed out through the aluminum diaphragm, so I checked around nobody seemed to have the aluminum diaphragms for these. So I checked e-bay and found a seller in england that is selling these diaphragms, he said they are from a shop he had in the U.K., so I think I paid like $5.00 each and bought two, I had to slightly trim the edge with scissors and it dropped right in perfectly, the gaskets replaced and everything adjusted. Also, if you attempt to rebuild these, they have a very tiny nut and washer, very important to change somewhere that you dont loose it. Anyone needing aluminum diaphragms should check out e-bay he may have some more.

Just thought I would let everyone know e-bay can be a good source for parts.